KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Bernama) — The digital revolution has unleashed a myriad of choices through new and old media, from terrestrial and satellite television and Internet, to the iPod, films, mobile phones, video games and the list goes on.
It is education that teaches us how to pick the right choice, and tune the mind in selecting the appropriate media programme, which is a work of art, that is beneficial and generates a healthy state of mind.
Within this context, the work of art and media programmes were once considered by John Milton (m. 1674) as food for thought.
However, if we have a stomach upset there will be no difference on what is being served even if it’s a healthy choice or otherwise. For those with an evil mind, the good programmes will only serve as an opportunity to learn and justify what we consider as bad.
MEDIA TARGET GROUPS MUST BE CAREFUL
On the contrary, discerning readers or viewers will be able to make use of the programmes with negative influence for their benefit, firstly as a reasoning to censure what is wrong and justify what is right.
Those who are discerning can also admit these programmes as a source of knowledge that can be used to counsel the society before a social woe rears its ugly head.
Readers and viewers need moderation like when eating and drinking. All matured readers and viewers must be able to keep in check what they are viewing or reading through the various media.
The censorship approach that is more of compulsion in nature is meaningless. An approach that will only coerce the people is a shallow one that is bound to create misunderstanding, where the actions of the government through a censorship agency seen as heartless and harsh.
PEOPLE MAY REACT NEGATIVELY
This may make people feel disgusted and fed-up and more so the proponents of the work of art.
No human likes to be compelled, pushed around or forced down the throat so that they would believe out rightly whatever said and done.
It is the nature of humans not to believe anything without reasoning based on the accepted norms.
Humans are more at ease if they are allowed and given time to scrutinise the truth, and the advantages and shortfalls.
Humans love the freedom to learn how to find the truth. Therefore, educating Malaysians to learn about the truth, moral (that includes the two modern terms “moral integrity” and “ethics”) and religion is important for the sake of national development.
PEOPLE WITH SHARP MIND
When we have people with sharp mind, they won’t easily succumb to deception.
When we have people who are quick in filtering the bad elements and that of self interest, we will have those who won’t easily fall prey to negative influences through any of the media channels.
Within this context, the brilliant people should have all the rights to access full and fair information through the media.
I’m of the opinion that the government knowing well that it owes its existence to the electorate, therefore will maintain the people’s rights to express their views and their work of art.
The writer is a Senior Fellow/Director of the Economic Centre and Social Study, at the Malaysian Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM).
— BERNAMA